Method and apparatus for the rolling of materials



March 9, 1965 P. J. PACKMAN 3,172,372

. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ROLLING OF MATERIALS Filed June 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ttorneys March 9, 1965 p, J. PACKMAN 3,172,372

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ROLLING OF MATERIALS Filed June 8. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 9, 1965 P. J. PACKMAN METHOD AND APPARATUS'FOR THE ROLLING OF MATERIALS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 8. 1960 QM a HHH H| j IHLfiI IH IW MW m H v 3 z W mm Q m R & Q S Q m ww $1 Q m m In enlor v 11445 A Horneys March 9, 1965 P. J. PACKMAN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ROLLING OF MATERIALS Filed June 8. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor //LM..Z' jamaa/ PM B) Z Mb/@464 Attorneys United States Patent f METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ROLLING In the mass production of Swiss rolls, baked sponge is prepared in the form of a continuous strip which is advanced on a steel conveyor band. In order to produce this strip the sponge batter is deposited on the band which then passes through an oven. The liquid nature of the batter produces rounded or chamfered edges on the strip and after baking the upper surface has a thin crust. Before passing to the next stage the sponge strip is transferred to a further steel conveyor band and is inverted at the transfer point so that the baked crust is in contact with the steel band and a spongy face is uppermost. This face is next coated with a layer of the filling for the Swiss roll which may be jam or cream or both, the layer of filling extending to within a short distance of the edges of the strip. This strip is then cut into lengths necessary to make the individual Swiss rolls. In the practice normally followed operators take hold of the cut lengths of strip and roll them up by hand to give the completed Swiss roll. The finished rolls are then placed by hand in cartons for dispatch and sale.

According to the present invention a strip of sponge coated with filling as just described is supported on a moving conveyor surface and while so supported is rolled transversely to the direction of movement by engagement with two or more successive guide surfaces which are shaped and inclined so as to produce the necessary rolling action on the moving sponge. In this way the production is made entirely mechanical thus overcoming the two principal disadvantages of the normal practice, namely the large number of operators required and the loss of hygiene due to the handling process both in rolling the flat strips and placing the completed rolls in their cartons. In a process in accordance with the invention this handling is avoided and both the rolling and the packing may be carried out without the necessity for touching any of the rolls by hand.

Preferably, the strip of sponge is rolled while still continuous and is cut into lengths after the completion of rolling. This largely avoids the transferring of filling to the cutter and moreover a considerably cleaner and squarer end to each roll is produced than is normally obtained by hand rolling when frequently the filling presses outwardly at the ends.

At least one of the guide surfaces which produce the rolling action may be constituted by a stationary ploughblade. This has an upturning or rolling action on the strip of sponge equivalent to that of a ploughshare in turning over the furrow slice. The guide surface which carries out the final stage of the rolling is preferably constituted by a positively driven endless belt, the lower run of which engages the upper surface of the roll and slopes upwardly to allow for the increasing diameter of the latter. When seen in plan, the belt is inclined at a small angle, for example in the region of to the direction of movement of the conveying surface on which the sponge strip is supported and moves at a speed such that the longitudinal component of the movement of its lower run is substantially equal to that of the sponge strip. The movement of the lower run of the belt relative to the roll is thus purely transverse being considerably less than the longitudinal movement and this has a stroking action on the surface of the roll which 3,172,372 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 facilitates and completes the rolling process. As an alternative to such an endless belt, however, the rolling may be completed by further plough-blades or rollers.

As already mentioned, the edge of the strip of sponge is slightly chamfered and the inversion of the strip causes this chamfer to lie on the underside. The presence of the chamfer facilitates the start of the rolling action but to assist this it is desirable to groove the edge of the strip of sponge by means of a narrow roller. Once this has been done, the successive guide surfaces are able to take over the control of the rolling action.

In apparatus for carrying out the method in accordance with the invention and which is also suitable for rolling other soft strip material, two or more guide surfaces are arranged in succession adjacent a substantially horizontal conveying surface so as to engage a strip on the conveying surface and thus produce a rolling action. Following the guide surfaces which may function as described above the apparatus may also include a rotary cutter blade turning in a vertical plane perpendicular to the conveying surface and controlled to advance at the same speed as the conveying surface during a cutting operation and then to return at an increased speed for the next operation. Thus the roll is formed while the strip is still continuous with the advantages previously mentioned and a clean cut is then made by the rotary cutter after the completion of rolling. After each individual roll has been cut, it is transferred from the conveyor on which the cutting takes place to a further conveyor which does not form part of the rolling apparatus. This conveyor travels at a slightly greater speed than the conveyor on which the cutting takes place and as a consequence, the rolls are spaced apart which is desirable for packing purposes.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse sectional view of a strip of dough supported on a conveyor prior to the strips being inverted;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating the dough strip inverted and supported on another conveyor, the strip having a filling applied to its upper surface;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrating the strips passing beneath a grooving roller;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but illustrating the strip in the process of being introduced to a device for upturning one of its edges;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but illustrating the strip in a further development of having its edge upturned;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the dough strip in the process of being rolled by engagement withthe lower run of an endless belt;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but illustrating the dough strip completely rolled;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of apparatus for carrying out the successive stages;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation corresponding to FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged side elevation of mechanism for controlling a rotary cutter blade shown in FIGURES 8 and 9;

FIGURE 11 is a detailed view illustrating the cam mechanism shown in FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view on the line XIIXII in FIGURE 11.

Turning first to the diagrammatic views of FIGURES 1 to 7, FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a strip of baked sponge 1 on a steel conveyor band 2. The sponge 1 has been formed by pouring a layer of sponge batter on to the conveyor band 2 and passing it through an oven. As a consequence the edges are chamfered as seen at 3. The strip 1 is transferred from the conveyor band 2 to a further conveyor band 4 seen in FIGURE 2, being inverted in the process so that the chamfers 3 lie underneath. A layer of filling shown as 5 is next applied to the upper surface of the strip 1 which is soft and spongy since the crust formed by baking now lies underneath. The process as so far described represents normal practice in the production of Swiss rolls and no further detail is considered necessary.

As shown in FIGURE 3 the coated sponge strip 1 next passes under a narrow roller 6 situated close to. the edge of the strip and just outside the limit of the coating 5 which, as will be seen, does not extend quite to the edge of the strip of sponge 1. The groove 7 formed by the roller 6 facilitates the start of the rolling action which is produced by a plough-blade, one endof which is seen at 8 in FIGURE 4. It will be seen that the groove 7 has been closed up by the upturning and inward folding of the edge of the strip and the beginning of a roll has been formed. FIGURE 5 shows the other end of the ploughblade which is shown as 9 and which extends further round than the end 8. As a consequence, the rolling of the strip 1 has been taken one stage further and approximately three-quarters of a turn of rolling has been inserted.

The view of FIGURE 6 is takenfrom a slightly different angle from the preceding figures and shows the edge of the roll at 10 in addition to the end of the roll 11. The roll is shown passing beneath an endless belt 12 of which the lower run 13 is spaced above the conveyor band 4 a distance no greater than the height of the upturned edgeof the strip so that the lower run 13 engages and presses against the surface of the roll. The belt 12 is obliquely inclined at an angle of the order of to the direction of movement of the conveyor 4 and its speed is such that the longitudinal component of the movement I of the lower run 13 is substantially equal to that of the conveyor 4 and hence of the strip 1. Relative to the strip 1, therefore, the lower run 13 of the endless belt has a transverse motion indicated by the arrows 14 which continues the rolling from the point reached by the plough-blade 9. As the'strip continues to pass under the endless belt 12, so the rolling continues until it is finally completed as seen in FIGURE 7. As the diameter of the roll increases until it is complete as shown at 15, so the endless belt must slope slightly upwardly in the direction of movement of the conveyor 4. The construction and method of driving of the endless belt are illustrated in more detail in FIGURES 8 and 9. As shown in FIG- URES 17, however, a continuous strip of sponge is first coated with filling and is then rolled so as to form a continuous roll'extending in the direction of travel. emerging from under the endless belt 12, this continuous roll is then cut to form individual Swiss rolls as will be described in more detail.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show the general arrangement of the apparatus for carrying out the method illustrated in FIGURES 3 to 7. The apparatus for forming the coated sponge is not part of the invention and is hence not illustrated. The apparatus shown in FIGURE 8 comprises two identical halves each including a steel band conveyor 4 and the associated equipment. For purposes of clarity the strip of sponge and the resultant rolls are not shown in'FIGURE 8. a

{The grooving roller 6 shown in FIGURE 3 is fitted at the left-hand end of the conveyor 4 as seen in FIG- 7 URE 9 and is close to the edge of the conveyor.

After a 4. the member 15 to be adjusted merely by forcing it in one direction or the other.

Immediately following the grooving roller 6 is the plough-blade of which the entrance end is shown at 8 and the exit end is shown at.9, the conveyor being supported at this point by a roller 19. As seen inFIGURE 8, the plough-blade is adjustable both in a transverse direction and with respect to its inclination to the conveyor 4. For this purpose it is mounted on a pair of links 20' each pivoted at its'right-hand end to a fixed mounting and at its left-hand end being adjustable in a transverse slot in a member 21secured to the ploughblade. The ends of the links 20 are clamped in the slots by means of knurled nuts 22.

On leaving the exit end of the plough-blade at 9 the sponge strip which has now been rolled by approximately three-quarters of a turn .passes under the endless belt 12. This stretches between a driven roller 30 and an idle roller 31. The idle roller 31 turns in side members. 32 supported by a cross member 33' which in its turn is held by an arm 34 and a supporting frame 35.

The driving roller 30 turns in side members 38 supported by a cross member 39. The driving roller 30 is driven frictionally from the conveyor band 4. For this purpose, a friction roller 4% seenin FIGURE 9 bears against the underside of the band 4 which is held against the friction roller by three pressurev rollers 41.

These pressure rollers are mounted on a common spindle 42- turning between spring-loaded arms43 pivoted at 44. The pivots are formed in brackets 45 secured to a cross member 46 extending across thewidth of both conveyors as seen in FIGURE 8.

The friction roller 40 is connected to drive a sprocket 50 mounted 'on the same shaft and which in its turn drives a chain151. The chain passes round idlers. 52 and 53 and drives a further sprocket 54 mounted onthe same.

shaft as a friction wheel 55. The friction wheel 55 engages a stepped cone 56'which in its turn drives a second chain 57 by way of a sprocket 58'. J

The chain 57 in its turn drives afurther sprocket wheel 60 mounted on a shaft 61.", The shaft 61 is connected by a further shaft 62 and'universal joints 63 and 64 to drive the roller 30. The roller 30;is. thus driven at a speed depending 'on that of the'conveyor band 4 and minor adjustments are possible. by adjusting the wheel 55 on the cone 56.

The endless belt 12 is inclined in a horizontal plane to the axis of the. conveyorband 4'at an angle of approximately 15. The speed ofthe roller 39 isgsuch thatthe longitudinal component of the speed of'the lower run 13 is substantially equal to that of the band 4 andrelative to the conveyor band 4 thelower run accordingly has a transverse motion providing the necessaryrolling action as already described. The roller 30is slightly higher than the roller 31 as seen in FIGURE 9 to; allow for the increasing diameter of the roll. I

On emerging from undervthe endless belt 12 the strip of sponge is fully rolled and lies along the outer edge of each of the conveyor bands'4. At this stage the roll is continuous and is thencut'by a rotary cutter which is driven from an electric motor 71 via suitable gearing enclosed in a housing 72 (seen in FIGURE 10) a chain wheel 73; a chain 74 and a second chain wheel 75 mounted on the opposite end of a shaft 76 carrying the cutter 70. The cutter mechanism including the driving motor 71, the bracket 77 on which it ismounted and the associated drive reciprocates in a direction parallel with the motion of the conveyor band.4. During a cutting operation the cutter moves to the right as seen in FIG- URE 8 at a speed equal to that of the band 4 while as soon as. the cut is complete, the cutter returns to wthe'left at an increased speed ready for the next operation.

The operation of the cutter is illustrated in more detail in FIGURES 1( 11 and 12. FIGURE 10 is a view from the bottom of FIGURE 8 of the driving mechanism for the lower of the two cutter blades 70. As is seen in more detail in this view the bracket 77 is mounted on a slide rod 78 secured at its ends 79 and 80. The necessary reciprocation is represented by an arrow 81 but the mechanism for producing this motion is omitted for purposes of simplicity. In addition to sliding on the rod 78 the bracket 77 may also rock so as to lower the cutter 70 during the cutting operation and to raise it at the end of the operation in readiness for the next operation. This ,v

rocking motion is produced as a result of the reciprocation by means of a cam arrangement indicated generally as 82 and seen in more detail in FIGURES 11 and 12.

The bracket 77 is fitted at its left-hand end as seen in FIGURE 12 with a stud 85 fitted with a roller 86 working within an opening 87 in a cam plate 88. During the reciprocating movement of the bracket 77, the roller 86 is forced to follow the outline of the opening 87 by means of a latch member 79 pivoted at 90 in the centre of the opening. This latch member falls by gravity into the position shown in FIGURE 11. At the start of a cutting operation the roller 86 is located in a recess 95 in the opening 87. As the bracket 77 and the remainder of the cutter mechanism moves to the right, so the roller 86 rides up between the upper surface of the latch member 89 and the under surface of the opening 87 until it reaches the position shown in FIGURE 11. The position at the beginning of the operation is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 12 while the highest position of the roller 86 is shown in full lines. As will be seen from FIGURE 12, therefore, the upward motion of the roller 86 produces a corresponding downward movement of the cutter blade, thus cutting steadily through the roll. After this position is reached, the roller 86 moves downwardly considerably more abruptly producing a correspondingly abrupt lifting of the cutter blade until the end of the stroke is reached at the position shown as 96 in FIGURE 11.

On the return stroke of the mechanism the roller 86 passes along the horizontal bottom of the opening 87 thus maintaining the raised position of the cutter blade. As the roller moves to the left as seen in FIGURE 11, it passes under the latch member 89 which rocks about its pivot and then drops back to the position shown when the roller 86 reaches the recess 95. The cycle is then complete and the cutter blade is ready for the next cutting operation. As a result of this the continuous roll is cut into the required lengths which pass onwardly along the conveyor band 4. From this band the individual rolls are transferred to a faster running conveyor band (not shown in the drawings). The effect of this faster running band is to space out the individual rolls and they are then passed to a packing machine. The complete production and packing are thus completed without the need for any handling.

The' apparatus just described although intended primarily for the production of Swiss rolls is not limited to use for this purpose and may be used for the rolling of any soft strip material which may or may not be cut into individual lengths. For example a continuous strip of dough may be rolled before dividing into pieces suitable for a variety of baked products. The machine as described rolls the strip up completely and in some cases it may require to be modified so that the strip may be given only a single turn or part of a turn of rolling.

I claim:

1. A method of producing rolled rolls from a strip of dough having substantially parallel side edges, said method comprising conveying said strip along a path defined by said side edges; grooving said strip adjacent and substantially parallel to one of said side edges of the latter; turning said one edge of said strip upon itself at said groove to form the beginning of a roll; and pressing on the turned edge of said strip while simultaneously exerting a force thereon having a component acting in the direction of the 6 opposite side edge of said strip to effect rolling of said strip.

2. A method of producing a plurality of rolled rolls from a strip of dough having substantially parallel side edges, said method comprising conveying said strip along a path defined by said side edges; grooving said strip adjacent and substantially parallel to one of said side edges of the latter; turning said one edge of said strip upon itself at said groove to form the beginning of a roll; pressing on the turned edge of said strip while simultaneously exerting a force thereon having a component acting in the direction of the opposite side edge of said strip to effect rolling of said strip; and cutting the rolled strip into multiple pieces.

3. A method of producing rolled rolls from a strip of dough having substantially parallel side edges and a leading edge, at least one of said side edges terminating in a chamfered surface, said method comprising conveying said strip in the direction of said leading edge with its said chamfered surface lowermost; grooving the uppermost surface of said strip adjacent said one side edge thereof; turning the chamfered edge of said strip upon itself at the groove to form the beginning of a roll; and pressing on said turned edge while simultaneously exerting a force thereon having a component acting in the direction of the opposite side edge of said strip to effect rolling of said strip.

4. A method of producing a plurality of rolled rolls from a strip of dough having substantially parallel side edges and a leading edge, at least one of said side edges terminating in a chamfered surface, said method comprising conveying said strip in the direction of said leading edge with its said chamfered surface lowermost; grooving the uppermost surface of said strip adjacent said one side edge thereof; turning the chamfered edge of said strip upon itself at the groove to form the beginning of a roll; pressing on said turned edge while simultaneously exerting a force thereon having a component acting in the direction of the opposite side edge of said strip to effect rolling of said strip; and cutting said rolled strip into multiple pieces.

5. Apparatus for producing rolled rolls from a fiat strip of dough having substantially parallel side edges comprising means for supporting and conveying said strip along a path defined by said side edges; means in the path of one side edge of said strip for engaging the latter and forming a groove therein adjacent and substantially parallel to said one edge; means in the path of said strip for engaging the latter and turning said one edge upon itself at said groove to form the beginning of a roll; and movable means overlying said path and engageable with the turned edge of said strip for pressing against the turned edge, said movable means having a component of movement transversely of said path for rolling said strip as the latter is conveyed along said path by said supporting means.

6. Apparatus for producing a plurality of rolled rolls from a flat strip of dough having substantially parallel side edges comprising means for supporting and conveying said strip along a path defined by said side edges; means in the path of one side edge of said strip for engaging the latter and forming a groove therein adjacent and substantially parallel to said one edge; means in the path of said strip for engaging the latter and turning said one edge upon itself at said groove to form the beginning of a roll; movable means overlying said path and engageable with the turned edge of said strip for pressing against the turned edge, said movable means having a component of movement transversely of said path for rolling said strip as the latter is conveyed along said path by said supporting means; and cutter means for cutting the rolled strip transversely of said path.

(References on following page) References Cited in the fileof this patent 2,456,372 UNITED STATES PATENTS .ifl ifiw Fonken Dec. 7, 1943 Schroder Apr. '11, 1933 5 V Buechek l Dec. 28, 1943 V Grimm et a1. Aug. 1, 1944 13895 Cohen et a1 Aug. 28, 19.45 208,197

FOREIGN PATENTS 

5. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ROLLED ROLLS FROM A FLAT STRIP OF DOUGH HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SIDE EDGES COMPRISING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND CONVEYING SAID STRIP ALONG A PATH DEFINED BY SAID SIDE EDGES; MEANS IN THE PATH OF ONE SIDE EDGE OF SAID STRIP FOR ENGAGING THE LATTER AND FORMING A GROOVE THEREIN ADJACENT AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID ONE EDGE; MEANS IN THE PATH OF SAID STRIP FOR ENGAGING THE LATTER AND TURNING SAID ONE EDGE UPON ITSELF AT SAID GROOVE TO FORM THE BEGINNING OF A ROLL; AND MOVABLE MEANS OVERLYING SAID PATH AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TURNED EDGE OF SAID STRIP FOR PRESSING AGAINST THE TURNED EDGE, SAID MOVABLE MEANS HAVING A COMPONENT OF MOVEMENT TRNSVERSELY OF SAID PATH FOR ROLLING SAID STRIP AS THE LATTER IS CONVEYED ALONG SAID PATH BY SAID SUPPORTING MEANS. 